Stage apparatus



N. BURGESS; STAGE APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

No. 442,797. Patented Dec. 16. 1890.

9665, Smmw I.

J/V Weds 213301 ways WIN 9833 Nrrn STATES -NEILSON BURGESS, OF HIGHLANDS, NElV JERSEY.

'STAG E APPARATU s.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,797, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed November 18, 1890. Serial No 371,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NnILsoN BURGESS, of Highlands, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stage Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that may be used on a stage or in any like place for the purpose of producing a correct and life-like representation of a race, whether between horses or other animals, the apparatus being so constructed that the relative position between the several animals that are contending shall be determined by the efforts of the contestants; and its further object is to provide means for announcing, as on a dial in plain view of the public or audience the relative position of the contestants or the time in which the fastest of the several contestants shall have finished the race.

- To this end my invention consists in the combination of the several parts making up the apparatus as a whole, and in details of the construction of the several parts, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a top or plan view of a stage illustrating the relative arrangementof the several parts of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail diagram view in elevation of parts of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings only one carriage and dial with connecting parts are shown in order to simplify the description and enable the apparatus to be the more readily understood, the letter a denoting a carriage that is adapted to be drawn along upon a stage or like support, the carriage being preferably mounted on wheels 17, although a sliding carriage may be adopted, if preferred. On this carriage there is supported a movable revolving stage or endless path a, that is adapted to support the animal, as a horse, that is to engage in the race, the horse or other animal being suitably supported, as by means of a standard (I, rigidly supported on and rising from one side of the carriage and provided with means for attaching it to the girth or other harness part. In addition to the standard girths or traces may be used extending rearward from the animal and securing it to fixed parts of the carriage. The endless path is supported on the carriage, so as to move readily under the feet of the animal borne on the path that is moved back-. ward at a rate of speed determined by the rapidity of movement of the animal standing on the path. The endless path or belt passes around a pulley the axle of which extends beyond the sides of the frame and supports the drums f, about which the ropes or wires g are wound as the path is moved, the outer end of the ropes being secured to fixed points in such manner as to move the'carriage along by winding the rope upon the drum. This is the simplest form of carriage-impellin g means; but my invention is not limited to the employment of these specific means, as it is obvious that other mechanical devices the clear equivalents of these carriage-moving parts may be employed to accomplish the progressive movement of the carriage without the exercise of more than ordinary mechanical skill. The movable carriage that is thus connected to a fixed point, so that its movement may be changed with relation thereto, is obviously moved along at a rate of speed depending upon the rapidity of movement of the endless belt, and that in turn is moved at a rate of speed depending on the rapidity of move ment of the horse or other animal that is in motion on the path. It is immaterial, so far as the horse is concerned, whether in his efforts to run he is moved by his motion overa given distance, as one-quarter of a mile, in a given time, or whether in going through the motion of runningaquarterot a mile length of track is thrustbackward underneath his feet. If the horse is placed upon an ordinary racetrack, he will cover a quarter of a mile in a given space of time, and if placed upon an endless path fixed to the carriage, so that the path is moved under his feet, about the same length of path will be passed under his feet in the same time in which he would have covered a like distance on an ordinary track it free to move over it.

In order to indicate to an audience the exact distance traveled by the horse in a given time when mounted on a carriage of the above description, an indicator h, having a movable hand i, is secured in full View of the audience, and a connection made, as by means of wires 75 7e,'between the carriage and the indicator. On the carriage is secured a contact-piece Z, over which the wire 70 extends to a battery on, and then to the coil n of the solenoid 0. The other wire 71; is fixed to a contact-piece having a spring-arm Z, that projects in the path of movement of a lug e on the moving path. This Wire 70 is connected to the opposite end of the coil '22 \Vhen the lug e strikes the spring Z, it forces it down upon the contact-piecel and establishes a connection, making a circuit, so that the armature of the solenoid is drawn within the coil against the resistance of the spring. As soon as the lug c has passed beyond the spring switch Z the latter lifts, breaking the contact and allowing the armature to be lifted in the coil. The armature and spring are both connected to a rocking arm p, that bears a springpawl 17', engaging ratchet-teeth r in the ratchet-wheel 7', that is fast to the indicatorhand. A ratchet s is fast to the frame of the indicator and engages the teeth in position to preventany return movement of the wheel. By means of this mechanism a step-by-step movement is given to the indicator-hand, a forward movement being made each time the lug e completes the circuit, and by graduating the indicator properly in proportion to the length of the endless path the exact distance traveled by a given point on the path in a given time can be shown on the indicator.

The object of my invention is to giveacorrect representation of a contest of speed, preferabl y between horses, although such contests between other animals of course may be depicted by substantially the same mechanism; and to this end two or more such carriages as have been described will be used with a horse or other animal mounted on each of the separate carriages. Each carriage will have its proper indicator, and a race maybe run as between two horses, the result depending wholly upon the relative exertion of the horses-that is, their comparative speed-the relative position of the horses and the distance covered indicated not onlyin full view by looking at the animals, but their relative position will also be shown by the dials, which will also show the absolute distance traveled by them.

The apparatus is particularly adapted for use on a stage having a suitable background which may or not be movable scenes, and other surroundings and scenery that add to the illusory effect may be employed.

It is obvious that other means of connecting the moving carriages with the indicators may be employed without departing from my invention, and I do not limit myself to the specific means shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with a movable carriage, an endless path supported thereon, means for effecting the forward movement of the carriage from the moving path, and theindicator connected to the carriage and having a hand adapted to indicate by its position the distance traveled by a given point on the path, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a stage, a movable carriage adapted to change position with reference to fixed objects on the stage, an endless path supported on the carriage, means, substantially as described, for effecting the forward movement of the carriage, an indicator having a moving hand, and the electrical connections extending between the indicator and the moving belt on the carriage, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with a movable carriage, an endless path supported on said carriage, means for effecting the forward movement of the carriage, an indicator with a movable in dex-h'and, and the electrical connection between the indicator and the carriage with a fixed contact-piece and a spring-switch, the latter being located in the path of movement of a lug that projects from the moving endless path, all substantially as described.

NEILSON BURGESS.

Vitnesses:

CHAS. L. BURDETT, JEFFERSON PATTEN. 

